Karl Rove: Waterboarding terror suspects saved America
Former George Bush adviser Karl Rove claims waterboarding of terror suspects held foil succession of attacks
Friday, 12, Mar 2010 06:14
By Matthew Champion.
George Bush's former long-time adviser Karl Rove has claimed the torture techniques used on terror suspects under the last White House administration helped avert a succession of attacks.
Mr Rove said he was "proud" of the waterboarding of terror suspects, despite the technique, which simulates a drowning sensation, being outlawed by Barack Obama last year and a broad consensus on the fact it amounts to torture.
"I'm proud that we used techniques that broke the will of these terrorists and gave us valuable information that allowed us to foil plots," he told BBC News.
"I am proud that we kept the world safer than it was by the use of these techniques. They are appropriate, they are in conformity with our international requirements and with US law."
George Bush's senior adviser from 2001 to 2007 and White House deputy chief of staff between 2005 and 2007, denied waterboarding amounted to torture.
"No it's not," he continued. "People need to read the memos that outline what was permissible and not permissible before they make a judgment about these things.
"Every one of the people who were waterboarded had a doctor who had to ascertain that there had been no long-lasting physical or mental damage to the individual."
But Mr Rove's claims are directly at odds with the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which the US is a signatory to.
The convention does not define torture as having to be "long-lasting", only that it involves the infliction of severe pain or suffering.